Your guide to California’s 21st Congressional District race
The longtime incumbent representing the Fresno area’s 21st Congressional District faces several challengers from both sides of the aisle.
Rep. Jim Costa (D-Fresno) is running for his 12th term in office. In the 2024 general election, the moderate Democrat defeated Republican challenger Michael Maher, a former FBI special agent and Navy veteran, securing 52.6% of the votes to Maher’s 47.4%.
Costa now faces two Democratic and two Republicans challengers: Republican businessman Kyle Kirkland; Lorenzo Rios, a Republican Army and Marine Corps veteran; labor organizer Lourin Hubbard, a Democrat; and Eric Garcia, a Marine Corps veteran and Democrat. Lance Kruse, a candidate with no party preference, is also listed as a candidate on federal filings.
The primary election will take place on June 2. The top two candidates will face a runoff in the Nov. 3 general election.
Where is the the 21st Congressional District?
Congressional District 21 encompasses parts of Fresno and Tulare counties. In Fresno County, this district includes the cities of Fresno, Fowler, Kingsburg, Orange Cove, Parlier, Reedley, Sanger and Selma. In Tulare County, it includes Cutler, Dinuba, Exeter, Farmersville, Ivanhoe, Orosi, Visalia and Woodlake.
Of the district’s 356,071 registered voters, 145,389, or 40.83%, are Democrats as of Dec. 30, 2025. Republicans make up 97,792, or 27.46%, of the district’s registered voters, according to California Secretary of State data.
Who is running?
Costa, a third-generation Central Valley farmer and descendant of Portuguese immigrants, has served in Congress since 2005. He currently sits on the House Committee on Agriculture and House Committee on Foreign Affairs. Costa, 74, has worked to secure funding for Central Valley water access, infrastructure, health care projects and has long championed California’s High-Speed Rail project.
Costa is a member of the Blue Dog Coalition, a moderate group of Democratic members, the New Democrat Coalition, the Problem Solvers Coalition, and the Congressional Hispanic Caucus. The Democrat first took political office as a member of the California State Assembly in 1978 at age 26, then the youngest member of the state Legislature. Costa served in the Assembly for 16 years and the State Senate for eight.
Garcia is a Central Valley native, Marines Corps veteran, father and therapist. He previously ran twice to replace Devin Nunes in 2020 as a no party preference candidate and then as a Democrat in 2022. Garcia told The Bee his main concern is the “poisoned water” that has been in the Valley for decades.
“About 1 million people in CA have water contaminated with a chemical that causes cancer and fertility issues. It has been contaminated since before I was born,” Garcia said. “No one has done much to fix it because the people most impacted look like me.”
Hubbard, a union organizer, is making his second bid for a seat in Congress. He previously ran to replace Devin Nunes in 2022. Hubbard is endorsed by the San Joaquin Valley Democrats and the Progressive Voter Network. The Democratic candidate is running on a platform to address the region’s water crisis, to reform the broken immigration system, and to increase access to health care and affordable housing.
“The Valley deserves leaders who represent our values, not a career politician that uses political donations from corporate interests and organizations like AIPAC,” he said on his website.
Kirkland, a self-described political outsider, is the owner of Fresno’s Club One Casino and president of the California Gaming Association. He’s running for Congress to “attack the cost-of-living crisis, restore accountability and keep Central Valley families safe and thriving.” He’s endorsed by the Central Valley Young Republicans, District 8 Assemblymember David Tangipa, Tulare County Sheriff Mike Boudreaux, Fresno County Supervisor Garry Bredefeld and others.
Rios is CEO of the Clovis Veterans Memorial District. He served more than two decades in the Army and Marines Corps and retired as a Lieutenant Colonel, earning two Bronze Stars. He also taught international relations and Latin American politics at West Point and held a department chair position at Fresno State.
Born in Mexico and the son of Mexican farmworkers, he said he’s running for Congress “to ensure every American can achieve their own American Dream.” He’s endorsed by Fresno County District Attorney Lisa Smittcamp, Fresno County Supervisor Nathan Magsig, Clovis Mayor Vong Mouanoutoua and others.
Who’s funding the races?
Costa leads all the candidates with $823,251 raised from January 1 to December 31, 2025, according to Federal Election Commission data.
He received around $90,670 in individual contributions via ActBlue, an American Democratic Party political action committee and fundraising platform. One of his largest individual contributors was the American Israel Public Affairs Committee and the AIPAC Political Action Committee, which contributed at least $78,506 to his campaign in 2025. Costa also secured several contributions from several major agricultural associations such as the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association/National Cattlemen’s Beef Association PAC and the American Crystal Sugar Company PAC, which contributed $10,000 each.
Rios has the second-largest donation haul, with about $385,587 in total receipts between July 2025 through March 2026. More than a quarter, or $116,375, of these contributions came from individual donors through the WinRed Republican Party political action committee and fundraising platform.
Kirkland has the third-largest war chest, with $252,918 raised between Jan. 1, 2025 to March 31, 2026. Kirland made $58,000 of in-kind contributions to his campaign in the form of printing, mail services, office supplies, strategic consulting and food and beverage fundraising expenses.
Garcia raised less than $600 in 2025, while Hubbard and Kruse did not have campaign finance data available with the FEC. Hubbard said he has spent approximately $2,500 on his self-funded campaign.
